Water-craft.



A. WILK.

WATER CRAFT.

APPLICATION TILED JAN 4, 1912.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

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ATTORNEYS lIfWENTOR LZJ h J? I W% A. WILK. YVIATER CRAFT. APPLIOATIOH FILED 'JAHA, 1912.

1,023,699. Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

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Fig.3.

INVENTOR 4 ATI'OHN E V S y from the bow of the boat to the stern thereo ANTHONY WILK, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

WATER-CRAFT.

Application filed January 4,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

1912. Serial No. 669,369.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY \VILK, a citizen of the United States of America. residin at Evanston, in the county of Cook and i tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in lVater- Crafts, of which the ollowing is a specifics tion, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relatesto water crafts, and more particularly to motor boats.

1 My invention aims to provide a boat with a central longitudinal water-way extendin and protrudin into the water-way are a series of prope lers ada ted to be driven by a motor for propelling t e boat, Extending into the water-way is a rudder for steering the boat, and as the water within the waterwa is confined, the efiiciency of the pro-'- pel ers for moving the boat is materially increased, while .the propellers are protected and prevented from in ury by the cat running aground or contacting with snags, floating debris or other matter.

My invention further aims to provide a boat hull with airtight compartments that increase the buoyancy and stability of the boat upon a body of water, and to furnish the boat with a center board or keel that practically prevents the boat from capsizing upon a rough sea or body of water.

My invention still further aims to accomplish the above results by a construction that is sim 1e, durable, inexpensive to manu-- facture an highly efficient for the purposes for which it is intended.

The invention will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan of a boat in accordance with this invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, and Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged cross sectional views of the boat.

A boat in accordance with this invention comprises a hull or shell 1 having a how 2 and a stern 3 and a flat bottom 4. The bot tom 4 is provided with a longitudinal opening 5 extending from the bow of the boat to the stern thereof, and arranged over this opening is a rectangular casing having vertical longitudinal walls 6 and a top plate 7. said casing being in communication with the opening 5 and providing a longitudinal watenway 8 extending from the bow of the boat to the stern thereof, The longitudinal casing is preferably formed integral with the flat bottom 4 of the hull and the top plate 7 is of a greater width than the waterway 8, said to plate having the longitudinal edges thereo connected or formed integral with the sides of the hull 1. This arrangement of the top plate 7 provides longitudinal side airtight compartments 9 that can be filled with hydrogen or a gas having buoyant properties. The top plate 7 serves as a floor for the occupants of the boat or other matter to be carried within the boat.

The top plate 7, within the water-way 8, is provided with a longitudinal center bdard or keel 10 extending from the bow of the boat to the stern thereof, the upper edge-of said center board having lateral flanges 11 riveted or otherwise connected, as at 12 to the top plate 7.

The top plate 7, adjacent to the stern of the boat, is provided with a rectangular openin 13 and the center board or keel 10 is provided with an opening 14 in communication with the opening 13. The vertical walls of the opening 14 are provided with bearings 15 for a longitudinal ropeller shaft 16. Mounted upon the shaf li 16 is a series of propellers 17 and a sprocket wheel 18. The motor 19 or other source of power is arranged upon the to plate or floor 7 of the boat, at the opening 13, said motor having the armature shaft 20 thereof provided with a sprocket wheel 21. The wheels 18 and 21 are connected by a sprocket chain 22. In lieu of the sprocket chain any suit able transmission mechanism can be employed for transmitting a rotar movement to the propeller shafts '16 from t e motor 19.

The stern of the boat is provided with a bearing 23 for a rudder post 24 having the lower end thereof provided with a rudder 25 and the upper end with a crank 26.

The propellers 17 are located within the water-way 8, and the boat can be easily driven upon a body of water.

The motor boat has a draft slightly less than the depth of the water-way 8, whereby water cannot enter the opening 13, especially when there is a cessation in the operation of the motor boat.

It is thought that the operation and utility of my invention will be apparent without further description, and I reserve the right to make such changes as fall within the scovp r il of the appended claims.

at I claim is 1. In a motor boat, a hull having a flat bottom provided with a longitudinal opening extending from the bow of the hull to the stern thereof a casing arranged over said opening and having a top plate connect ing the sides of the hull and providing a floor, the top plate of said casing having an opening formed therein, a center board carrled by the top plate of'said casing and extendin from the bow of said boat to the stern t ereof, said center board having an opening formed therein in communication with the opening of the top plate of said casing, pro ellers revolubly mounted in the openlng 0 said center board, and means carried by the plate of said casing adjacent to the opening thereof for imparting a rotary movement to said ropellers.

2. A boat comprising a ull havin a flat bottom provided with a longitudina open ing extending from the bow of said boat to the stern thereof, a casing mounted over the opening of said hull and having a to plate with the edges thereof connected to t e side walls of said hull to provide longitudinal airtight compartments at thesides of said hull, a center board secured to the to plate of said casing and extending from t e bow of said boat to the stern thereof, and revoluble propellers supported by said center board.

3. In a boat, a hull having a flat bottom rovided with a longitudinal opening, a caslng arran ed in said hull over said 0 ening and provi ing a water-way and airtig t side compartments, a center board arranged in the water-way of said casing and extendin from the bow of the boat to the stern t-hereo revoluble propellers supported by said center board, and means carried by said casing and adapted to impart a rotary movement to said propellers.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANTHONY WILK. Witnesses:

P. A. SIEMAN, Joe. J. as wsm. 

